Maple Deer Sausage Recipe

I looked high and low for a deer sausage recipe made with maple syrup. When I had no luck I devised this one myself.

It took several attempts to get a maple flavored venison sausage that my whole family loved, but it was well worth the effort.

Real maple syrup is a pretty special ingredient in my neck of the woods, and it's expensive and hard to come by. For those reasons I tend to save this sausage for festive occasion breakfasts, though we would probably eat it every day if we could.

It's good with any of our regular breakfast fare, but it really shines when served with sourdough pancakes.

3 lbs vension

2 lbs fatty pork shoulder or 1 lb lean pork and 1 lb pork fat.

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons rubbed sage

1 tablespoon fine ground black pepper

8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) real maple syrup

1/2 cup ice water

Trim the venison of all bloody areas and tough connective tissue, cut it and the pork into 1 inch cubes, and grind it through the fine (3/16") plate of your meat grinder.

Combine the spices in a small container and mix with the 1/2 cup of ice water and the 1/2 cup real maple syrup.

Pour the spice, water, and syrup combination into the ground meat and mix thoroughly for at least 2 minutes. Use your hands for mixing to assure even distribution.

Once the sausage is fully mixed, stuff it immediately into casings and cool it down.

This sausage really is best when it is stuffed into casings, but you could use it in patties in a pinch.

I like making this recipe into smaller links, and use 22-24mm natural sheep or collagen casings.

Don't keep this sausage in the fridge for more than a couple of days. It stores well in the freezer for at least 3 months. I really doubt you will have any problem eating it up in that time.